More than 200 hospitals, health systems and suppliers recognized for cost and quality improvements, operational excellence, innovation and a dedication to diversity

CHARLOTTE, N.C.--(BUSINESS WIRE)-- Addressing 4,000 healthcare professionals at the Premier healthcare alliance's 2011 Breakthroughs Conference and Exhibition, Premier President and CEO Susan DeVore suggested that the best way to “future-proof” healthcare delivery is a re-crafted system of care delivery that is increasingly scaled, integrated, efficient and patient-centered.

“We can no longer afford to think of the American healthcare system in a vacuum; healthcare market risk is clearly tied to the local economy,” DeVore said. “Members of the Premier alliance have demonstrated the ability to build, test and scale new models of care delivery. Many of you are actively building patient-centered integrated care delivery systems, whether they are called accountable care organizations or something else, and quickly identifying the areas in which we need to innovate.”

Continued DeVore, “By linking providers nationwide, we can see what each of us individually might be blinded from seeing, creating new and inventive opportunities for performance improvement. When your commitment, passion and skill is combined with innovation, a re-crafted system, and scale, you’ll create something that isn’t just future-proof, but something that is necessary and vital, long into the future.”

Other highlights from the 2011 Breakthroughs Conference, which took place last week in Nashville, Tenn., include:

76 suppliers were honored for operational excellence and their drive toward providing clinical and financial value to Premier alliance members.

Premier Chief Operating Officer Mike Alkire stressed the importance of innovation to help pave the way for change in healthcare.

“Sometimes, you achieve innovation by subtraction – by getting rid of the things you don't need and focusing on the things you do,” said Alkire. “We need to build enough resiliency into our healthcare system to be able to adapt to change or – even better – capitalize on it. Innovation is what will allow us to build something that hasn’t been built before.”

Keith J. Figlioli, senior vice president of Informatics and Technology Services, focused on the need for integrated, actionable data across the continuum of care.

“Today our healthcare system is overwhelmed with data. We have more than we even know what to do with and the amount grows every day,” said Figlioli. “We need to get a handle on all these data points and turn them into actionable information, insight and intelligence. In doing so we can mirror what we’re trying to build in care – a system that is coordinated and integrated, where communication is dramatically improved and we aren’t repeating or replicating.”

Premier also launched PhysicianFocus™, a technology for both practicing physicians and physician leaders to demonstrate value and identify opportunities for performance improvement and clinical integration.

More than 120 sessions provided concrete ideas and evidence-based examples on issues such as clinical and supply chain excellence, physician engagement, and leadership development, presented by Premier alliance members.

Premier is a performance improvement alliance of more than 2,500 U.S. hospitals and 75,000-plus other healthcare sites using the power of collaboration to lead the transformation to high quality, cost-effective care. Owned by hospitals, health systems and other providers, Premier maintains the nation's most comprehensive repository of clinical, financial and outcomes information and operates a leading healthcare purchasing network. A world leader in helping deliver measurable improvements in care, Premier has worked with the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services and the United Kingdom's National Health Service North West to improve hospital performance. Headquartered in Charlotte, N.C., Premier also has an office in Washington. http://www.premierinc.com. Stay connected with Premier on Facebook, Twitter and YouTube.